


Wide Open

by sleepybear (sleepydanceur)



Category: Prince of Stride: Alternative (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-High School, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-29 01:32:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6353563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepydanceur/pseuds/sleepybear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s been busy. College has been sucking up all of his time and energy; he hasn’t been able to come back home as often as he would’ve liked after moving out once he’d graduated from high school. He’s missed it here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wide Open

**Author's Note:**

> Finally churned something out! It's my first time ever writing for anime fandom, though I've been saying I wanna write for Haikyuu and Kurobas too for so long OTL 
> 
> This is just a short fluff piece, set after the anime, post-highschool

It’s been a long time since Riku’s watched the summer festival fireworks from the bridge here. He stares up at the night sky, listening to the whistle of the fireworks before they explode in a myriad of bright colours, reflecting across the clear surface of the river below. Even the festival lights and lanterns can’t dim their brightness and the constellations of stars behind them. 

It’s been busy. College has been sucking up all of his time and energy; he hasn’t been able to come back home as often as he would’ve liked after moving out once he’d graduated from high school. He’s missed it here. 

He’s just come from a huge lunch with his parents for his last night in town but somehow his stomach still grumbles at the smell of the roasting squid wafting up from the festival carts. Riku digs his hand into his pocket, fishing around for the spare change he knows he’s got buried somewhere. He tugs the coins out from his pants but promptly loses his grip and drops them, watching the coins roll away. 

“Crap,” he huffs, bending to pick up the first one closest to him before following the rest. He chases after the last one but stops short when it knocks into someone’s shoe and falls flat on the ground. A hand comes down to pick it up for him before Riku reaches out for it. 

He straightens up in surprise. “Thank y- Fujiwara?”

It feels like the breath’s been punched out of his chest. The memories come back to him like a movie reel behind his eyes; the soft pink petals of spring carried along by the wind from the trees around them and their final graduation ceremony. He remembers shimmering eyes and the uncertain expressions, every breath before the faltering words and finally a parting handshake that Riku wished had been a lot more than it was. 

After every time their palms connected through the build up of the trust and faith they put in each other, believing in one another enough to give that extra spurt of speed to their stride; after how perfectly in tune they were on a run and how it seeped into everything else they did together. After all that, it should have been easy for the words to come spilling out but Riku’s heart just squeezed with so much to say and the uncertainty of taking the leap over that final hurdle. Yet, after keeping that promise they’d made to each other, Riku wonders why he never said everything he had to back then when he should have. 

Instead, he gave a handshake that felt as loaded as it felt empty, ringing with unsaid words and heavy thoughts. Fujiwara looked breathtaking that day, the light breeze shifting his hair across his forehead, falling into his eyes where he hadn’t bothered with his glasses for the occasion. Riku had been cracking jokes even when it was time to say goodbye, distracting himself when all he wanted was to brush the tresses away with his fingers, to feel the warmth of Fujiwara’s face and the familiarity of his skin. He really does look radiant in the sun. The look in his piercing blue eyes was burned into the deepest corners of his brain for a long time after that, and the way Fujiwara had whispered his name, almost inaudible, before Riku said goodbye and left before his heart could tumble right out of his ribcage at Fujiwara’s feet, laid out bare and terrified. 

Even when the sun is gone and the street lights throw shadows across his face, Fujiwara still looks as radiant as he always did. A year is a long time to be apart but there’s so much Riku still wants, no- he needs to say. To put words to everything that’s been trying to smash through his ribs, for all the times that he could have and all those times that he didn’t. 

“It’s been a pretty long time, huh? How’ve you been?” he says instead, clenching his fists in the sides of his pants at the slight way Fujiwara’s face falls. 

There was a time, when they met again in highschool, when he used to think Fujiwara was a stone wall, and couldn’t read him at all. It took him a while to realize that Fujiwara was never anything but open to him; that he never once hid anything from him even if Riku couldn’t see it yet. Now, even after all these years, Riku can see behind every minute shift in Fujiwara’s expression.

“I’m good,” Fujiwara says quietly, looking up when the next batch of fireworks go off loudly. “You still love the fireworks.”

“So do you,” Riku beams and it’s enough for Fujiwara to finally crack a smile too. Riku’s heart stutters in his chest. They used to watch the fireworks every year together until they graduated. 

“Have you already eaten? I already had lunch but the squid smells pretty good, thought I might go try some.” Riku knows he’s rambling and he draws in a deep breath, trying to clear his head.

“I tried it. It’s good.” 

Fujiwara seems to remember the coin he’s still holding in his hand, absently thumbing over the coppery surface. He holds it out to him wordlessly and Riku steps closer to hold his palm up for it. Their fingers brush when Riku’s fingers curl around the coin, sending a jolt of electricity zinging between them. It feels like a magnetic pull drawing them together, their hands lingering, unable to pull away. Maybe it’s the look in Fujiwara’s eyes, intense and open to him the way he’s always been, that makes Riku’s stomach swoop.

There’s barely a step between them; Riku swallows and halves it, boldened by the electricity still thrumming in his veins. Fujiwara doesn’t move, doesn’t looks away from Riku, just holds the gaze that grows steadily heavier. 

“I’m going for a run,” Fujiwara murmurs, and Riku notices that he’s got his running shoes on even though he’s in a shirt and slacks because _of course _. Besides, Riku’s in his sneakers too anyway.__

__Fujiwara doesn’t ask him to join him because he doesn’t have to.  
This right here, tearing down the empty streets side by side, this is the language they both speak without struggle, this is what frees them. They sprint away from the crowded festival, darting around corners and leaping right over the steel rails along the stairs, throwing in the gimmicks for old times’ sake. _ _

__Riku feels the wind whipping through hair from the speed, the exhilaration of the run coursing through his veins and the way his lungs burn. The familiarity comes back to him, from the constant presence beside him, to the feeling of running with someone, with Fujiwara, sometimes falling behind and sometimes pushing ahead until they’re mostly neck and neck._ _

__There’s no goal in sight, just to run until they can’t anymore, and that moment seems to come unanimously when the end of the road comes up ahead, tapering off into the grassy banks overlooking the river._ _

__Riku immediately crumples, throwing himself down with his back to the ground, his chest heaving as he gulps in lungfuls of air,_ _

__“You still haven’t learnt to fix your breathing before throwing yourself down,” Fujiwara says, hunched over where he’s holding himself up with his hands on his knees. “Catch your breath first.”_ _

__There’s no bite to his tone, and the hint of a smile dancing on Fujiwara’s lips doesn’t escape him. Riku laughs breathlessly, nodding and waving him off at the same time as he catches his breath, lying where he is._ _

__“Next time, I’ll beat you by a mile,” he grins up at Fujiwara, pointing a determined finger at him._ _

__“Next time I’ll be even faster,” Fujiwara throws back, looking just as determined._ _

__Riku feels a spike of warmth at the idea of a next time, elated to hear Fujiwara say it back._ _

__Fujiwara extends an arm down to hold his palm out and Riku grins, indulging him by reaching up to return the high five. Their palms connect with a familiar loud smack and the sound brings back a heavy wave of nostalgia and longing crashing in his chest._ _

__Fujiwara’s fingers curl around his wrist like he’s done a hundred times after a run, helping him up from the ground. Riku’s breathing has calmed down but his heart's still beating erratically, on the verge of erupting after so long and maybe it’s finally time he did something about it._ _

__He licks his dry lips and sucks in a deep breath. “Fujiwara, I-”_ _

__He doesn’t get any further than that because Fujiwara yanks him forward by the front of his shirt and kisses him, swallowing up the rest of his words. It feels like he’s being taken apart and put back together again and Riku melts into it, his hand falling to settle on Fujiwara’s hip, clutching at the fabric tightly.  
  
It’s been a long time coming and finally, _finally_ , Riku can press their lips together again and again, coaxing them apart to kiss him deeper, and Fujiwara kisses back with the same fervor and desperation that Riku’s feeling. Kissing him truly feels like coming home. 

__When he breaks off, Fujiwara keeps their faces close but he’s panting, their noses still brushing and he’s looking down, oddly shy._ _

__Riku beams widely, admiring the way his eyelashes fan across his strong cheekbones._ _

__“Takeru,” he says and Fujiwara looks up at the sound of his name. His eyes crinkle and _god_ he’s missed this; it’s enough for Riku. The fireworks are loud and bright and beautiful but Riku barely notices them for the rest of the night. His chest finally feels light again._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Hope I didn't completely botch up the characters! TT


End file.
